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Mercedes appear to have confirmed Lewis Hamilton's Formula One career WILL continue after weeks of speculation.
Hamilton missed out on his eighth Formula One World Championship after a dramatic final lap on the last day of the 2021 season.
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Max Verstappen overtook him after a controversial safety car decision and many questioned if Hamilton would ever return to the track.
However, it looks like the 36-year-old is ready to do it all over again following a post from Mercedes.
Alongside a picture of Hamilton, they posted: "Adversity causes some to break; others to break records."
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Michael Schumacher is the only other driver with seven world championships and Hamilton was one lap from history in Abu Dhabi.
Despite the post, the FIA’s new president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, has revealed Hamilton isn't responding to any of his messages.
“I’ve sent him messages,” Ben Sulayem admitted. “I don’t think he’s 100 per cent ready to respond right now. We don’t blame him. I understand his position, as a driver, obviously, he is at a different level.
“But there are also rules. As you read in the press, the new president is going to sanction; of course they [the media] spice things up a lot with what is important for others.
“But for me it’s not particularly related to a certain driver or a certain team. It’s general. There are rules we have to respect, and we have to respect the integrity of the FIA. And I can’t judge anyone until I know the exact facts.
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“In fact, my first objective is to go through the whole Abu Dhabi file.
“I think of course by not being at the gala, it’s something that Lewis and his team knew. But at the end of the day, we’re human too. There was stress and pressure."
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff was even unsure of Hamilton's next step.
Hamilton didn't attend the the FIA Awards in Paris and recently unfollowed everyone on Instagram, including his own brother.
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His only public appearance since the season ended came when receiving his knighthood at Windsor Castle.
Ben Sulayem continued: “Personally, I’m convinced that everything will work out.
“You can’t think about the past. There are many things to think about. We are the ones who embody the future.”
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Do you think Lewis Hamilton will return to F1 for next season?
Let us know in the comments.
Featured Image Credit: PA ImagesTopics: Max Verstappen, Lewis Hamilton
